A/N: Thanks to everyone who voted. I think you like this story but I'm yet to see a single comment. Come on now, don't be shy. I really, really, really need some feedback. I'm starting to think of merging the two books because it would just make one epic love story but I won't know what you guys like unless you tell me. Anyway, here's another one. Hope you enjoy it. Please vote and comment! :) 

BTW: For some reason, this story went from PG13 to Restricted and I didn't put it there so I don't know. Does Wattpad do that automatically if it senses more mature content? Do people need to follow me to read it?

***

No surprise, I had trouble sleeping.

Whenever I shut my eyes, my moment at the beach with Sebastian replayed in my head in scorching, vivid detail.

I didn’t have incredible memory but I was certain I’d never forget what happened that night for the rest of my life.

It was almost sunrise when I managed to drift off.

I must’ve forgotten to set my alarm because when I woke up, the sunlight filtering through the shutters was already glaringly bright and hot on the skin.

I groaned when I checked my cellphone and saw it was well past noon.

I dragged myself out of bed and went for a quick shower. 

I stood in front of the vanity in my underwear drying my hair and I couldn’t help staring at my body, trying to identify the lustful creature who started the fire and got burned with Sebastian last night.

At the memories, a warm ache started between my legs and I briskly turned to shake the sensation away.

“Sebastian.” My voice quivered at his name and I wondered if he’d stayed up the night thinking about what had happened. A part of me hoped he did, seeing how strained he was last night, but a voice in my head made a quick, harsh reminder that he must’ve touched and kissed a ton of women that way before—women like Aurora who probably didn’t quiver and plead like a fumbling virgin. 

We had to talk. 

I had an answer I needed to give.

I couldn’t help a short, dry laugh as I walked back to my room and dressed in denim cut offs and a tank top. 

Three weeks ago, I had absolutely resented being foisted on the arrogant, blatantly seductive man who crudely told me the true reason I was in Cobalt Bay. I swore I would pass the summer as distant from him as possible. 

Now all I wanted was to spend every summer night in his bed.

I was amazed at the ease with which I made the decision.

Seventeen years of level-headedness and restraint came to an end the moment he claimed my soul with a mind-blowing kiss. The rest that followed had just been simple inevitability.

I went downstairs to the kitchen where Bart was handing out slices of his freshly baked cherry tart to Mrs. Simmons and Danny, the driver. 

“There you are, dear,” Bart greeted with a broad smile, gesturing me to take a seat around the prep table. “We were wondering if you weren’t feeling well at all today.”

I blushed and smiled. “I had a hard time falling asleep. Sorry. I forgot to set my alarm.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Mrs. Simmons said, passing me a plate and fork. “You’re a guest here. If you want to sleep in, by all means do. Now, would you like some of this tart or some lunch?”

“No, this is great. Thanks.”

Bart heaped a hefty slice on my plate and poured me some of the pretty strong tea they were having. 

“So what’s the plan for the day?” I asked. “I can help with dinner.”

“It won’t be anything too fancy tonight,” Bart said after a mouthful of tart. “Mr. Vice isn’t here but I can make something for the staff. Whatever you want.”

“Mr. Vice isn’t here?” I piped up before I could stop myself.

I shouldn’t sound surprised as he’d barely been around Cove Manor in all the time I’ve been here but I didn’t realize he’d gone already.

“He left pretty early today. Jennison got a call and got him out of bed right away and he looked like nothing I’ve seen him ever look before,” Danny said with a shake of his head. “He looked more stressed out than normal.”

“He’s got some bad news,” Mrs. Simmons said gently. “That’s all I can say about it but it will be a while before he’s back.”

I squirmed with questions I wanted to ask but knew I shouldn’t so I kept my mouth shut and so did everyone else. The staff were fiercely loyal and I appreciated that despite my burning curiosity.

After we finished eating, the staff went their separate ways to their tasks and I hurried after Mrs. Simmons down the hall.

“What is it, dear?” she asked, pausing to turn around and look at me.

I bit my lip, trying to decide how to best approach it. “Um, is Mr. Vice okay?”

I resisted the urge to slap my forehead. 

He got some bad news. Of course he’s not okay. But Mrs. Simmons couldn’t really tell me whether Sebastian ran off because of what happened last night and if he’d said anything about me or how I was supposed to proceed with the way we left things.

Mrs. Simmons’s brows furrowed slightly. “I hope so. I rarely see him that upset so it must be very important. But Mr. Vice is a strong person. He’s weathered more than he deserves.”

“I’m sure,” I murmured, looking away, uncomfortable with the knowing gleam in the woman’s eyes. “Well, that’s good. I hope it’s not too bad. Thanks, Mrs. Simmons.”

I turned away to leave but she gently called me back.

“I know that Sebastian is a very... enigmatic man,” she said slowly, her eyes kind. “I’ve seen him grow up. I’m not surprised if you have come to care for him. He is a good man despite what others say but it doesn’t mean that he’s an easy person to care for.”

I waited, trying to rid my face of any expression that might give away just how much I cared for the man. None of the staff really knew my age. I told them all that I was in college. I made a point of that to make sure neither Sebastian nor I got into trouble. Not that I thought anyone would suspect something else was going on between us. He’d been avoiding me like the plague since I arrived.

“I was just curious,” I said with feigned casualness. 

“Of course.” The woman smiled softly but her gaze was keen and sharp. Something told me she didn’t miss anything. “Anyway, I should get back to my duties. I’ll see you later, my dear.”

I smiled back. “Thank you, Mrs. Simmons. I’ll go see if Bart needs me for anything.”

I turned and left, my heart decidedly heavy.

It was going to be a long wait.

***

I was walking back to the pool house with a stack of freshly laundered and folded towels when Phil, one of the estate security guards, the tall, blond one who met me with Jennison that day I arrived, came to me with a package.

“What is it?” I asked, setting down the towels on one of the lounge chairs. 

“Mr. Vice gave instructions to get this for you before he left today,” he answered with a shrug before picking up the towels and motioning to the pool house. “I’ll take this for you. Let me know if you need anything else.”

I was a little befuddled that I let him go with the towels without argument.

I sat down on the lounge chair and opened the white cardboard box. Inside it was a case with a brand new cellphone in it and it looked top of the line.

I frowned and took it out, catching the slip of paper that fell out from under it.

It listed all the specs of the phone, the inclusions of the plan and the new phone number assigned to it. 

“What the hell?” I muttered, pressing the power button on it.

I waited until it initialized and went through all the preliminary settings. When it finally settled on the home page, a text message came through. It must have been sent to the number before I even got the phone.

No duct tape needed for this one. Don’t you dare give it back. Throw the old one out.

My brows shot up. 

Clearly, he’d already programmed his information in the phone and expected my protest. 

I frowned again, briefly conflicted on his high-handedness, but a burst of excitement flared in me. 

He remembered last night. He remembered despite the emergency that dragged him out before I had a chance to see him.

I smiled slowly.

I’ll let him squirm for a little bit.

My immediate reaction had been to give the phone back. I wasn’t a prostitute. I didn’t expect payment for sexual services. Whatever I’ve decided to give him, I gave because I wanted to.

But I wanted to contradict Sebastian’s expectations just a little bit. He expected me to indignantly demand that he take the phone back. I was going to use it just to contact him. My old cellphone wasn’t going anywhere. 

I relaxed and took my time in setting up the rest of my information.

I checked the the contacts list and found one lone entry—Sebastian Vice with his home, cellular and work numbers and email address. 

All this info would probably fetch a fortune were I to auction it to the hordes of women who wanted to land the devilishly handsome and wealthy bachelor—I was amused to know he had industriously put them all together for me.

A devious grin formed on my lips. 

I opened a new email entry and started typing.

From: Cassie Collins <[email protected]>

Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 2:55 PM

To: Sebastian Vice <[email protected]>

Subject: Cellphone

Thank you for the highly inappropriate but greatly appreciated gift. I heard you got some bad news and

had to leave because of it. Hope it’s nothing too serious. 

I have my answer but I’ll wait until you get back.

Cassie

I had just neatly packaged the box back up and was on my way to my room when the phone alerted me with an email.

From: Sebastian Vice <[email protected]>

Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 3:02 PM

To: Cassie Collins <[email protected]>

Subject: Re: Cellphone

Cassandra,

Why don’t you use your full first name? 

Your nickname’s fine but it doesn’t fully depict you when I hear it. 

As for the cellphone, it’s a matter of practicality. Your phone’s broken. I’m giving you a new one.

I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. It’s complicated.

As for your answer, don’t make an easy choice. Think of the consequences.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer there. But stay away from that college boy. Or other boys, in general. 

Sebastian

I sighed.

Yes, the consequences of giving in to a man like Sebastian—like using the name he prefers or going about friendships he does and doesn’t approve.

Mrs. Simmons was right. 

He wasn’t going to be an easy person to care for.

From: Cassie Collins <[email protected]>

Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 3:10 pm

To: Sebastian Vice <[email protected]>

Subject: Re: Cellphone

I’ll tell you someday why I don’t like the name Cassandra.

And Ty is just my friend. 

As for the consequences, I might know better than you think, but yes, I’ll wait till you get back.

Take care, Sebastian.

Cassie

I had a smile on my lips as I climbed the stairs to my room.

At least, I knew he hadn’t chosen to forget last night, as reluctant as he was to take me seriously. It was a big step.

I looked up and saw the dark gray, swollen front coming in.

Looks like a storm’s brewing.

***

“Thanks for coming with me,” Ty said as he pulled up by Cove Manor’s gates in his motorbike and offered a hand to let me down first.

I pulled off the helmet he gave me and handed it back to him. “No, thanks for inviting me. I haven’t had that much fun in a while.”

He grinned and I was quickly reminded of just how cute he was and how easy things were with him. “I’m glad you liked it. We should come see them again next time they play.”

It’s been almost a week since Sebastian left and since that last email I sent, I haven’t heard anything back. I refused to call him. At this point, I wasn’t sure of anything between us. One minute he’s hot, the next he’s cold. I worried he was in trouble but if something terrible had happened to him, I was sure the household would know. So if he was just refusing to talk to me, I wouldn’t beg.

I had set out to steer clear of Ty, not because of Sebastian’s orders but because I didn’t want him to develop certain expectations about us. He was the safe, sensible choice but I couldn’t deny I was burning for someone else.

I’d seen him a couple of times when I went out to town and yesterday, he’d asked if I wanted to come with him to an outdoor concert by the public beach where a band he was friends with was playing.

I was going to immediately say no but I caught myself. He never said it was a date and truth be told, I was sick of moping around the estate. The staff kept me busy with little tasks here and there but I couldn’t take my mind off the mystery of Sebastian Vice.

So I threw caution to the wind and said yes.

It was great fun. 

I’ve never been on a motorbike before and that alone counted as a new awesome experience. There were a lot of young people at the concert, the music hardly stopped and Ty had been sweet and attentive all night.

I smiled up broadly at him. “Goodnight, Ty.”

“Cassie...”

I saw the moment his eyes grew lambent and his lips parted.

My heart lurched. 

A part of me automatically wanted to inch back but another part of me demanded I stay right where I was and experience something I fully deserved to know.

Hell. 

Sebastian was right. 

I’m seventeen and I have my whole life ahead of me.

I wasn’t going to spend it sitting around and twiddling my thumbs until Sebastian got back when he hasn’t even bothered to say hi or hello in the past five days. 

He wanted me to know the consequences—missing out on a normal relationship with an uncomplicated guy would be one of them—so I intended to find that out and whether anyone else could set me on fire like Sebastian did.

I closed my eyes as Ty tipped my chin up, his breath warm and slightly ragged as he leaned closer.

My heartbeat picked up speed and I moved my arm up and around his neck as his hands settled on my hips and tugged me towards him.

Ty’s kiss was shy, sweet and... pleasant.

It’s a kiss I wouldn’t regret and I would’ve been happy with have I had no knowledge of the maelstrom of passion Sebastian’s kisses roused.

I tentatively kissed him back, forcing the image of Sebastian’s lazy, heavy-lidded eyes glowing with desire, out of my mind.

After a few more pleasant moments, I gently pulled back, pressing my lips together and smiling shyly at Ty.

“I have to go,” I said, turning towards the gate. “Thank you again for taking me out tonight.”

Ty’s cheeks were flushed and his eyes sparkled as he smiled back at me. “Goodnight, Cassie.”

“Goodnight.”

And with that, I buzzed myself in through the gate and walked towards the house, casting one last backward glance at Ty who stayed and watched me leave.

I frowned as I noticed how much light was pouring out of the windows.

I glanced at my watch. 

It was well past eleven at night. I had made sure none of the staff would wait up for me and most of them went to bed around ten. 

I went through the side door the staff often used and found one of the maids, Nancy, briskly walking back and forth as she packed a small bag with some snacks from the pantry.

She was dressed in jeans and a shirt and she had her purse sitting next to a large duffel bag on the bench.

“Nancy, what’s going on?” I asked, jumping a little as I heard the crash of a door from somewhere upstairs. 

“Mr. Vice is back and he’s in the blackest mood I’ve ever seen him,” the maid said, stopping and almost shuddering a breath out. “Someone dear to him died, Mrs. Simmons said. He’s been storming in and out of his bedroom and office with a bottle of whisky in his hand and he’s barking at everyone.”

I cringed. “When did he get back? Who—”

“Oh, and he was yelling for you the minute he came in,” Nancy continued, her hands flailing up in the air in emphasis. “Barged into the library and your rooms and he yelled at Phil some. He’s going to combust, I swear!”

My heart started pounding harder. “Did you tell him where I was?” 

“Mrs. Simmons took him aside and he stopped after that,” Nancy said with a disbelieving shake of her head. “But he’d already broken a few things at that point. Jennison came to us after the boss had quieted a little and locked himself in his bedroom. Said we were to take off the next month. With pay! Can you believe it? Off for a month in the summer with pay! I’m driving down to stay with my sister and I want to get out before they change their mind.”

I must’ve paled or looked somehow alarming because Nancy peered at me in concern. “Gracious, are you alright, Miss Cassie? Mrs. Simmons had been looking for you and wanted us to tell you right away when you came in. She’d been calling your phone but you weren’t answering.”

I nodded a little shakily. “I had it on silent.” Both of them actually. I felt I didn’t want to be accessible to anything that brought me back to Sebastian. 

“Well, you better go and see Mrs. Simmons,” Nancy advised. “I’m pretty sure she’s taking off too but she’s probably not leaving till everyone’s gone by tomorrow. I don’t know what the house will be like when we all get back but if I were you, I’d start packing too. You don’t want to be trapped here when the boss is acting like a demon.”

“Nancy, watch what you say!”

We both looked up and saw Mrs. Simmons at the door, her expression irritated and disapproving. 

I was a little startled to see something else other than a pleasant smile on the housekeeper’s face and I swallowed the large lump on my throat. 

Things were definitely not going well in Cove Manor.

“Sorry, Mrs. Simmons,” the maid murmured abashedly before getting back to her packing.

“Cassie, come with me, please,” the housekeeper said, stepping back into the hallway.

I quickly followed although my legs felt like lead all of a sudden.

She pulled me into the linen room which was just a big walk-in closet for towels and sheets and a spacious ironing and sewing area. 

“Mrs. Simmons, I’m sorry I got in kind of late but—”

“Cassie, listen,” the housekeeper interrupted firmly, grasping my hand. “Nancy must’ve told you already what happened. Sebastian is back and he’s not quite himself. Alfred Banning, his father’s dearest friend, had died. He’d left after he got news that Mr. Banning’s been hospitalized earlier this week. The man was like a second father to Sebastian, mentoring and guiding him when his own father had gone. He’s very distraught and he wants to be left alone.”

“Is he sending me home?” I asked in a sudden horrified realization. If Sebastian’s grieving, I wasn’t going anywhere. 

Mrs. Simmons heaved a deep sigh. “He has asked the staff to go on paid leave. He wants solitude and we can’t really refuse him. I don’t want to leave him in this state but this isn’t the first time he’d wanted